Car-coupling



2 Sheets-Sheet 1'.

(No Model.)

T. G. OHAPPELL.

GAR GOUPLING.

Patented Feb. 26, 1889.

A MMMWV f i F P w i/limomw,

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

T. G. OHAPPELL.

OAR COUPLING.

N0. 398,702. Patented Feb. 26, 1889.

w m w a w lUEirTEn STATES PATENT @EETCE.

THOMAS C. CHAPPELL, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

CAR-COUPLING.

EFEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 398,702, dated February 26, 1889.

Application filed February 21, 1888. Serial No. 264,773. (No model.)

To all wi /111a it nmy concern:

Be it known that l, THOMAS C. CHAPPELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Couplings; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and 1 thereof.

to the letters and ligu res of reference marked thereon, which form a partof this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in the devices for coupling railroad-cars; and it consists of such arrangement of locking mechanism and butters that when the cars are brought together they will be automatically coupled and locked securely together thereby, and further provides for makin atrain more rigid, provision bein made whereby the looking mechanism may be tripped from either the platform or other point near the end of the car, or from the side of the car, and thus permit the cars to be separated without the neccssityo'f a person getting between the cars to p01 orni this operation. Iprovideforguidin g said couplings to a center by one or more jaws placed on each coupling, and provide against transverse motion by placing two jaws upon each coupling, placed at an angle of ninety degrees. When only one jawis placed on each coupling, I place a pin or extension on the outward end of the coupling. Said jaws engage a recess provided therefor on. opposite coupling, and said pin engages in a recess provided therefor in the opposite coupling. I also provide a device for sup porting said coupling which permits it to move in every direction, and a modification thereol constituting a vibrator, which provents noise from transverse motion of the coupling against its su u orter, and in said modification I employ springs.

In the further description of my invent-ion referci'ice is had to the accompanying drawings, in. which- Figure 1 slices a sideelevation of a part of two cars which are coupled by this device. Fig. 2 is a detailed side elevation of a pair of couplings, showing them locked together, one

coupling being in section and the other in full, a part of the locking-arm being removed. Fig. 3 is a cross-section through A A of Fig. 2. Fig. at is a cross-section through E B of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 a cross-section through the tripping device at O C of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a view in full, looking at the end of the device. Fig. A is a side elevation of the coupling, showing a modification of locking mechanism. Fig. B- is a detailed plan view of ends of coupling, showing jaws, pins, and recesses Fig. C is a view looking endwise the coupling and showing a modification for supporting the coupling. Fig. l) is a side view of the rod employed in the modification for supporting the coupling. Fig. E is a detailed side view of the strap 10, for supporting coupling, showing swell and groove to permit universal motion and bolt for connecting said strap.

The same figures refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views.

The figure 7 denotes the plat-form of a car, under which may be suspended the coupling 9 by means of a strap, 10, and the beam 11, the said strap 10 n'eferably being of the form shown in Fig. .4, whereby a slight lateral movement may be permitted the coupling to avoid any but a tensile strain thereon, the beam 11, through which the coupling passes, having its opening through which the said coupling is passed of such size as to likewise permit a slight lateral movement therein, the said beam 11, in addition to supporting the coupling, serving as a backing for the butters 21 and 22 thereof, in a manner which will be hereinafter described.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the following is a description of the coupling: The figure 12 denotes the body of the coupling, which is preferably constructed with its outer end, 1 3, of a cylindrical form, Figs. i, 5, and (3, and its i11- ner end, 14, oi? the square form shown in Fig. 3, in order to prevent the coupling from turning, and by this means insure a proper position of the coupling tor looking to that of another car. This end 1%, however, may be made cylindrimil or of any other form, and some 011' the devices in common usesuch as a feat-l1crcmployed to prevent its turning. In order to support the outer end, 13, the sup porting-strap 10 is passed around this part of:

to the next car, the said arm 16 being of such length that the offset 17 will engage with the inner side of the flange 18 or other offset of the other coupling, and thus lock the couplings together. In order to draw the said arms 16 toward the center and hold them ther-eat, the springs 19 are provided, which are secured, preferably, on the periphery of the flange 18, Fig. 6, the free ends of the said spring 19 bearing on the top of the arms 16. Thus when two couplings are brought together the tapered curved end 20 of the arms 16 will be raised by the flange 18 of the other coupling, which is preferably beveled for that purpose, until the offset 17 of the locking-arm will have passed the inner edge oftsaid flange 18, when the springs 19 will cause the arms to drop, and the two couplings will be held securely together; An adjustable band may be used instead of springs.

To provide against the shock of impact when the cars meet in coupling, and to likewise reduce the shock from a sudden pull, the coupling is provided with the double buffers 21 and 22. The buffer21, which may be made of any elastic material or of springs, is placed between the flange 15 and the beam 11, and thus serves to relieve the shock of impact by yielding in a slight degree to the strain, and.

the buffer 22, of like construction to the buffer 21, is placed between the flange 23, which forms the inner end of the coupling, and the beam 11, and thus serving to relieve any shock which may arise from a sudden pull. On the inner end of the coupling is the eye 29, to which is secured the draft-rod 30, this rod 30 passing the length of the car and being secured to a corresponding eye in the end of the coupling at the other end of the car, whereby an equal strain is sustained on the couplings at each end of the car. As a further means of relieving the shock of impact, the outer end of the coupling, which, when flanged, also serves as an additional buffer, may be provided with the elastic cushion 24, which will be compressed when the couplings are brought together, and from the elasticity thereof the cars will be more solidly held together, and the noise of friction will also be by said elastic cushion reduced.

In order to conveniently trip the lockingarms 16, there is provided the tripper 25, which moves freely in, preferably, a slot formed in the cylindrical part 13 of the coupling, the said tripper 25 being placed near enough to the flange end 18 of the coupling to operate the arms 16 of both couplings, and is constructed, preferably, in the form shown in Fig. 5, with the projecting ears 26 thereon, which in the rotating movement of the said tripper are brought in contact with the under side of the locking-arms 16 and cause them to be raised to a sufficient height to re lease the offsets 17 from the flange 18, the said tripper being provided with cars 26, preferably as represented, two of which serve to release the locking-arms 16 of the coupling on the other car by lifting the ends 20 thereof, whereby the arms 16 may be raised by the tripper of either coupling and permit the cars to be separated, a handle, 27, being provided on the tripper 25 for convenience of operating, and suitable stops, 28, being formed, respectively, on tripper 25 and on the body 12 of the coupling, whereby the movement of the said tripper is limited to the two positions of open or shut. The ears 26 thereon or the handle may operate in a ratchetslot. Thus by throwing the handle 27 in one direction the arms 16 will be raised, and by moving the said handle in the other direction the said arms will fall in the spaces between the ears 26 by the power exerted by the springs 16 and in position to automatically lock to another coupling. any number of ears or lugs 26, more or less, as desired.

As described, each coupling is preferably provided with two locking-arms, 16, which are placed opposite one another, those in the coupling at one end being in a vertical plane and those in the coupling at the other end of the car being in a horizontal plane, thus distributing these locking-arms when locked at right angles one to the otheraround the flange 18. Instead of being in the vertical and horizontal planes, these locking-arms 16 may be placed at an inclination of forty-five degrees and those of one coupling at right angles to those of the other, and thus insure proper pairs when two 7 couplings are brought together. If desired, only one arm may be placed 011 each coupling; or a greater number of these locking-arms 16 may be employed, which may be so distributed that they will properly interlock around the flange 18 with the arms of another coupling.

The jaws a, Fig. A, may be placed on each coupling at one side of the center. Being tapered, they engage with the periphery of the opposite coupling, in which there is a recess, C, to receive said jaw, and thus guide said coupling toward a center in connection with one or more other similar jaws and recesses. Said jaws and recesses are placed in equal numbers on each coupling, preferably two on each, being located between the locking-arms, and in order not to interfere with said jaws I prefer to use a spiral spring to hold said lockings down to the offsets to which they engage. To prevent transverse motion, I employ the pin b, which, Figs. A and B, engages with The said tripper may have IIO the recess (5 on the opposite coupling. Suspended, preferably, under the platform may be the vibrating support shown in 1 ig.C, wherein the strap (2 may contain the coupling to which are attached the pins f, which are free to move in, the bearings g, the springs it being placed one on either side of said strap c, and serving to hold the coupling in a central position, a spring, 1', being placed each side of said bearings g to maintain them in their proper plane, a rod, 7:, serving to support said bearing g, and permitting it to move thereon, and also serving to support said spring Proper backings, m, may be employed for said springs i, and a rod, )2, serves to hold said rods 7; more staunch. This device will hold the couplings always in a position to be coupled and permit them to yield to strain in any direction. The rods in are slit in sections 11, so as to permit the pins f to pass therethrough, and said rods 7r pass through perforations r in the bearings g, by which said bearings are permitted to move perpendicularly upon said rods 7;.

The pinsf may be cast on the body of the coupling itself, in which case the strap e might be ol'nitted, and the pins f may be slit and pass through perforations in the bearings g, the rods 7; in that case passing through the slit in the pinsf. The pinsf are of sufficient length and project sufficiently beyond said bearings to remain therein even when moved laterally in each direction a considerable distance.

I preferably make the strap 11) in two sections, Fig. E, connected on each side by the bolt 1 through the flanges .2, and I preferably provide the interior of said strap with a swell or curved ridge, '1', el'igagii'lg loosely in a circular recess, l(', in body of coupling 9; or the swell may be upon the body of the coupling and the groove or recess in the strap.

Ilaving described my invention and the manner of operating, what I claim, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent, is

1. Inacar-coupling, thecombination of two coupling-bodies, each of which is secured to the end of a railroad-car in position to engage the other when the cars are brought together, each of which is provided with a locking-arm hinged to it and a recess or a laterally-projecting flange upon its end adapted to engage the locking-arm of the other coupling, and a buffer consisting of a laterally-projectingflange on the end of the coupling, which is adapted to engage the locking-arm of the other coupling, whereby the couplings are united, sub stantially as described.

2. in a car-coupling, the combination of two coupling-bodies, each of which is secured to the end of a railroad-cruin position to engage one another when the cars are brought together, each of which is provided with a locking-arm hinged to the coupling-body, and a recess or a laterally-proj ectin g flange upon its end adapted to engage the locking-arm of the opposite coupling, and the ends of which are armed with elastic buffers adapted to engage one another and resist the shock of impact of the couplings, substantially as described.

3. Ina car-coupling,tlm combination of two coupling-bodies, each of which is secured to the end of a railroad-car in position to engage the other when the cars-are brought together, and each of which is provided with a lock.- ing-arm hinged to it, and a recess or a laterally-projecting flange upon its end adapted to engage the locking-arm of the other part of the coupling, whereby the couplings are united, each coupling-body being attached at its rear end to the draft-rod of the car, to each end of which a coupling is attached.

:1. Ina car-coupling, the combination of two coupling-bodies, each of which is secured to the end of a railroad-car in position to engage the other when the cars are brought together, and each of which is provided with a lockingarm hinged to it, and a recess or a laterallyprojecting flange upon its end adapted to e11- gage the locking-arm of the other part of the coupling, whereby the couplings are united, in combination with a releasing device which consists of a ring encirclin the coupling and provided on its periphery with cams or lugs having inclined faces which bear upon the under side of one or all the lockingarms, and which is provided with means for turnin g said ring, whereby the arm or arms will be raised and the coupling unlocked when the cams are forced beneath them.

' 5. In a carcoupling, the combination of two coupling-bodies, each of which is secured to the end of a railroad-car in position to engage the other when the cars are brought together, and each of which is provided with one or more locking-arms hinged to it, and a recess or recesses or a laterally-proj ecting llange upon its end adapted to engage the locking arm or arms of the other part of the coupling, whereby the couplings are united, each locking-arm being provided with acircular spring surrounding the locking-arms, whereby they are retained in contact with the flange or recess of the opposite coupling.

6. In a car-coupling, the combination of two coupling-bodies, each of which secured to the end of a railroadcar in position to engage the other when the cars are brought together, and each of which is provided with a lockingarm hinged to it, and a recess or a laterallyprojecting flange upon its end adapted to engage the locking-arm of the other part of the coupling, whereby the couplings are united, in combination with a rigid ring encircling the locking-arms, and provided with means for advancing the ring upon them when they are locked and withdrawing it when it is desired to open them.

7. In a car-coupling, the combination of two coup1ing-bodies, each of which is secured to the end of a railroad-car in position to engage the other when the cars are brought together, and each of which is provided with a locking-arm hinged to it, and a recess or a laterally-proj ecting flange upon its end adapted to engage the locking arm of the other part of the coupling, whereby the couplings are united, the ends of said couplings being provided with projecting pins or lugs which enter corresponding holes or depressions in the opposite part of the coupling.

8. Ina car-coupling, the combination of two coupling-bodies, each of which is secured to the end of a railroad-car in position to engage the other when the cars are brought together, and each of which is provided with a locking-arm hinged to it, and a recess or a laterally-proj ecting flange upon its end adapted to engage the locking arm of the other part of the coupling, whereby the couplings are united, the ends of said couplings being provided with projecting jaws which engage the opposite part of the coupling and serve to center it.

9. In a coupling, the combination of two coupling-bodies, each of which is secured to the end of a railroad-car in position to engage the other when the cars are brought together, and each of which is provided with a locking-arm hinged to it, and a recess or a laterally projecting flange upon its end adapted to engage the locking-arm of the other part of the coupling whereby the couplings are united, each coupling-body being suspended by a flexible suspending device, which consists of a rigid frame consisting of vertical rods connected together at their lower ends, and upon these rods slide blocks, above and below which are helical springs encircling the rods and maintaining the blocks mid way of the rods, and the blocks are also perforated with horizontal holes, through which pass freely horizontal rods secured to the suspending-ring which encircles the coupling-body, and this horizontal rod is encircled by helical springs which bear between the sliding blocks.

and the suspending-ring, substantially as described.

10. In a car-coupling, the combination of two coupling-bodies, each of which is secured to the end of a railroad-car in position to engage the other when the cars are brought together, and each of which is provided with a locking-arm hinged to it, and a recess or a laterally projecting flange upon its end adapted to engage the locking-arm of the other part of the coupling, whereby the couplings are united, a suspending device for the couplings, which consists of a ring hung on the under side of lhe car, the interior of which is beveled, so as to bear upon the coupling-body only at its center, whereby the coupling-body is enabled to rock inside of the ring, substantially as described.

11. In a car-coupling, the combination of two coupling-bodies, each of which is secured to the end of a railroad-car in position to engage the other when the cars are brought together, each of which is provided with alocking-arm hinged to it, and a recess or a laterally-proj ecting flange upon its end adapted to engage the locking-arm of the other coupling, and buifers secured to the ends of said couplings and adapted to engage one another and resist the shock of impact, a pair of buffers encircling each coupling-body and bearing between flanges upon the coupling-body and a rigid part of the car placed intermediate between said buffers, with means whereby said locking-arms maybe raised and the coupling unlocked, means for retaining the looking arm or arms in contact with the flange or recess in the opposite coupling, a device fixed to the end of a car supporting eachcouplingbody in position opposite to the other coupling-body attached to the end of another car in a similar manner, and the draft mechanism of the car secured to the coupling-body, substantially as described.

12. In a carcoupling, the combination of the two parts of the coupling, each of which is connected to the end of a railroad-car in position to engage the other when the cars are brought together, and a suspending device for said coupling, which consists of a rigid frame secured to the end of the car and a series of springs operating between the frame and the coupling, whereby the coupling is capable of radial motion and is self-centering.

13. In a car-coupling, the combination of two coupling-bodies, each of which is secured to the end of the car in position to engage the other when the cars are brought together, and a suspending device fixed to the end of the car supporting each coupling-body, and mechanism operating between the coupling and suspending device, whereby the coupling is permitted partial spherically-radial motion, substantially as described.

14. In a car-coupling, the combination of two coupling-bodies, each of which is secured to the end of a railroad-car in position to'engage the other when the cars are brought together, and each of which is provided with a locking arm or arms hinged to it, and a recess or a laterally-projecting flange upon its end springs, so that the ring may freely oscillate in any direction at right angles to the coupling-piece, while the coupling may freely reciprocate through the ring.

In testimony whereof I affixmysignature in presence of two witnesses. I

THOMAS C. CHAPPELL.

IVitnesses:

JNo. T. MADDOX, P. SOHAEFER. 

